Kavanagh ready to rule

Forward has the power to match his skill and the potential to become one of the best players in the country — he could prove it against the Australians

Kildare's James Kavanagh and Brendan McArdle of Down. (Lorraine O'Sullivan)
If you run your finger along the lines of the map of Kildare’s progress under
Kieran McGeeney you can trace numerous places where the journey began, but
the real fork in the road arrived in McGeeney’s second championship game in
charge in 2008, a qualifier against Cavan in Newbridge. Still reeling from
the shock defeat to Wicklow the team appeared to be going nowhere, while
McGeeney didn’t seem cut out for management. A defeat at home to Cavan and
he was more than likely gone.

Preparations were being made for his dismissal when Kildare trailed by two
points deep in injury time. Then James Kavanagh popped up at the end of a
neat move to put the ball into the net. McGeeney had a lifeline. Looking
back, it is fitting that Kavanagh was at the heart of igniting a fire that
was almost doused before it could rage.